Editorial

Parks Admin Ignore ADA Issues With Baseball Complex Remodel

EDITORIAL - People should really not thrust themselves into the public arena unless they can stand the spotlight. A person cannot step-up to run a public organization that benefits hundreds of kids in this community then complain when they are being held accountable for or find that some disagree with their actions. Case in point, Steven Barsotti of Foster Parker Insurance, a two year board member and now president of the Madera National Little League.

At a parent meeting at Lincoln Elementary last month over one hundred Little League parents attended to hear changes to the league and meet their new board of directors. After the league's umpire coordinator Mark Palacios spoke, parents were asked if they had any questions. Out of the over one hundred people there, only one parent spoke up.

UPDATED 9:00am 2/25/2015

EDITORIAL - Political apathy seemed to disappear from Madera at least for one night at the Madera Unified School District's board of trustee meeting. Board president Maria Garcia and her puppet master, Bob Garibay, made their second attempt to remove Superintendent Ed Gonzales from his job in the last two months. This time, however, they met a little resistance from something called THE COMMUNITY.

The strings that Bob uses to control Maria must have been broken last night because Garibay was controlling the show, while Garcia, like a good dummy, just sat quietly in her chair. From the start Garibay wanted the community to know that all of the hubbabaloo was about a typo on the boards closed session agenda.

UPDATED 9:00am 2/25/2015

EDITORIAL - Political apathy seemed to disappear from Madera at least for one night at the Madera Unified School District's board of trustee meeting. Board president Maria Garcia and her puppet master, Bob Garibay, made their second attempt to remove Superintendent Ed Gonzales from his job in the last two months. This time, however, they met a little resistance from something called THE COMMUNITY.

The strings that Bob uses to control Maria must have been broken last night because Garibay was controlling the show, while Garcia, like a good dummy, just sat quietly in her chair. From the start Garibay wanted the community to know that all of the hubbabaloo was about a typo on the boards closed session agenda.

***UPDATE BELOW****
EDITORIAL - I don't think the term "Train Wreck" is strong enough to describe how far off course the Madera Unified School District Board of Trustees are heading this year. The leadership on the board is inexperienced or worse, a puppet for fellow board member Robert Garibay.

This week board president Maria Velarde-Garcia called a special meeting for two items, new attorneys for the school district and an item approving training for the staff at Madera High School. The second item passed with very little fanfare, the first was proof that our current board president is in way over her head.

***UPDATE BELOW****

This week board president Maria Velarde-Garcia called a special meeting for two items, new attorneys for the school district and an item approving training for the staff at Madera High School. The second item passed with very little fanfare, the first was proof that our current board president is in way over her head.

EDITORIAL - Yes the Madera Unified School District needs a third high school. There is no doubt that both MUSD high schools are facing overcrowding and deal with the problems that brings. The only thing in doubt is whether or not the voters can trust the MUSD board of "trustees" and district administration to actually do what they say they will and not come up with other uses for the bond money, then come back to the voters in two years and ask for another bond.

We've been here before. The district came to the voters and asked for money under a proposed general obligation bond for the Madera South High School but instead of completing the high school with the first bond, they build several elementary schools and half of a high school. Then came back and asked the voters to pass a second bond to complete the high school. And to build a pool.